VARAHA plays a dynamic brand of dark and somber doom/dark rock inspired metal. The band’s palette is wide and varies from monolithic, heavily distorted guitars to elegiac and nostalgic arrangements. Overall, their music is a cinematic dance between heavy riffing counterpointed by omnipresent melodies, as well as droned parts of despair, and evocative clean guitar arrangements.

VARAHA is the boar manifestation of Indian god Vishnu who lifts the earth from underneath the ocean. In guitarist/vocalist Fabio Brienza’s interpretation, VARAHA symbolizes not only rebirth, but also strength, passion, and struggle. “Art and birth were never supposed to be subtle or polite,” Brienza notes. “Interestingly, ‘Varaha’ is also very similar to the Spanish word ‘Baraja,’ — the cards that you’ve been dealt in life — and though Varaha and Baraja come from two very different cultures, there exists a strong connection between the etymology of the two words. Almost as if the band name could be both Varaha and Baraja at the same time.”

Varaha will be released digitally via the band’s official Bandcamp page on December 16th, 2016 with a CD edition to follow in the coming months.

VARAHA will bring their hymns to the stage later this week opening for Abigail Williams. The band will also play a special show supporting Amorphis next March with additional live dates to be announced soon.